CMA sets 18 December deadline for initial review as it considers whether deal could reduce competition
Via Graham Watson
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Graham Watson's curator insight,
June 1, 2025 4:38 AM
A UK-based focus on how President Trump's trade policy is damaging to a specific sector of the economy. In this case it's the steel industry which has seen a whimsical overnight doubling of tariffs, presented as though it's all part of some grand plan.
However, the uncertainty it causes means that almost everyone is losing out.
Graham Watson's curator insight,
November 4, 2024 3:16 AM
I'm putting this here because it's fundamentally a Microeconomic story about incentives, D&S and so forth, and with a pick up in demand for housing, house prices are going to rise.
Graham Watson's curator insight,
October 23, 2024 6:05 AM
The Competition and Markets Authority is going to launch a formal investigation into Carlsberg's takeover of Britvic. The move, widely seen as a sensible tie-up between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink manufacturers is also seen as having damaging implications for competition, and consumer choice.
It will be interesting whether they ultimately approve the deal, and what, if any concessions they demand for doing so.
Graham Watson's curator insight,
June 1, 2024 4:46 AM
The World Health Organisation is calling for the UK government to extend the sugar tax to cakes, biscuits and chocolate given the success of the tax in reducing the amount of soft drinks sold.
As the article notes: "The levy on the soft-drinks industry led to a 34.3% fall in total sugar sales from such products between 2015 and 2020". Equally, the levy led to the reformulation of many soft drinks too.
But would extending it to other sectors of the food industry make economic sense?
Graham Watson's curator insight,
May 1, 2024 3:41 AM
The inevitable demise of coal continues, with the G7 nations agreeing to end the use of unabated coal power power station by 2035. That said, there are a number of caveats that will allow some plants to stay open, notably those fitted with carbon-capture technology.
Graham Watson's curator insight,
April 1, 2024 4:06 AM
Labour market news - today's the day that the National Living Wage (formerly the National Living Wage) rises good news for the lowest paid, but there are distributional consequences for firms to as they will now have increased costs.
That said, I find it hard to listen to business owners who are paid considerably more than their lowest paid workers, complaining about this sort of thing, even though times are hard for many. Equally, they could be looking to cut other costs, not least energy, which is falling in price today. |
Graham Watson's curator insight,
November 4, 2024 3:28 AM
Phillip Inman provides a good look at the six major issues surrounding last week's Budget - looking at it's implications for growth, whether it marks the end of austerity and so on.
It's a good primer for those of you who want to remain abreast of current economic thinking, not least those of you hoping to get Oxbridge interviews.
Graham Watson's curator insight,
June 28, 2024 3:50 AM
Contrary to certain election claims about the Labour Party being the party of higher taxes, it's worth noting this HMRC data the shows that there are now 4.4m more income tax payers in 2024-25 than there were three years earlier when the government froze personal allowances.
It's a classic example of fiscal drag, which acts as a stealth tax, with even an increased number of pensioners paying tax: the last three years have dragged an "extra 1.77 million pensioners into the income tax bracket."
Graham Watson's curator insight,
April 29, 2024 2:56 PM
Who'd have thought it: taxing fossil fuel firms could help raise $900bn in so-called climate finance by 2030 according to the Climate Damages Tax report published today.
But before you celebrate this too gleefully, remember that it's likely to be largely funded by higher energy prices being paid by consumers, so don't get too giddy.
Graham Watson's curator insight,
March 28, 2024 7:02 AM
It's almost boring to be 'scooping' this sort of thing time and time again, but hopefully, it might get you thinking.
What's the optimal level of marine pollution? Is there also an optimal level of regulation of the sector? The answer is 'Yes' in both cases, but I wonder if you can apply marginalist principles to work out what those equilibria would be? |
The Competition and Markets Authority is going to launch a formal investigation into Carlsberg's takeover of Britvic. The move, widely seen as a sensible tie-up between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drink manufacturers is also seen as having damaging implications for competition, and consumer choice.
It will be interesting whether they ultimately approve the deal, and what, if any concessions they demand for doing so.